Mudslide roulette on Pacific Coast Highway

Infographic: Mudslides create treacherous trek on PCH

Jan. 15, 2016 10:18 PM PT

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Sandwiched by steep mountains on one side and ocean on the other, Pacific Coast Highway has endured countless rock falls and mudflows since it was built in 1929, forcing motorists to reroute through canyon roads.

Here is a sample of major road closures caused over the decades by Mother Nature.
Click on the location name to see the related story.

Read more: How debris flows happen

Sources: Caltrans, Times archives

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Follow me for the latest infographics from the latimes. @latimesgraphics @rosannaxia

Travel & Experiences

Rosanna Xia

Rosanna Xia is an environmental reporter for the Los Angeles Times, where she specializes in stories about the coast and ocean. She was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2020 for explanatory reporting, and her breadth of work includes the PEN award-winning book, “California Against the Sea,” as well as the highly anticipated feature documentary film, “Out of Plain Sight,” which she directed and produced.

Raoul Rañoa

Raoul Rañoa is a former senior graphics and data journalist at the Los Angeles Times.

Infographic: Mudslides create treacherous trek on PCH

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